World Cup 2010 Preview: South Africa - Mexico

VS

The 2010 World Cup is here, and the opening match will see host nation South Africa take on Mexico at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

Kick-off: Friday, June 11, 2010, 16:00 (local time), Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Bafana Aiming For Round Of 16 With Opening Victory

With the World Cup only seven months away, the South African FA made a brave but necessary move to oust former coach Joel Santana and bring back fellow Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira. That move paid off, and the team now prepare themselves for the opening match of the 2010 World Cup.

Bafana struggled to score goals a few months back, and Parreira has done well to improve that situation, though the side should make more out of the opportunities and possession they have during games. The defence on the other hand, has been impressive, with very few goals conceded thanks to tight marking and good communication at the back, while marshalled by Itumeleng Khune in goal.

TEAM NEWS

South Africa

Itumeleng Khune, fully recovered from an injury sustained in a bruising win over Colombia, will be the goalkeeper behind a back four of Siboniso Gaxa, captain Aaron Mokoena, Bongani Khumalo and Tsepo Masilela. There will likely be five midfielders with Teko Modise, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Steven Pienaar and Thanduyise Khuboni set to balance Bafana in the middle of the park. Katlego Mphela will be the lone striker, and will be in confident mood after scoring six goals in five World Cup warm-up matches.

Possible Line-up: Khune, Gaxa, Khumalo, Masilela, Mokoena, Pienaar, Modise, Tshabalala, Letsholonyane, Khuboni, Mphela.

Mexico

Guillermo Ochoa appears the likely goalkeeper with Efrain Juarez, Ricardo Osorio, captain Rafael Marquez and and Carlos Salcido a possible 'El Tri' back four. And the Mexican midfielders in what could be a densely populated area of the Soccer City pitch may be Giovani dos Santos, Israel Castro, Guillermo Franco, Gerardo Torrado and Andres Guardado. Manchester United-bound Javier Hernandez looks a strong candidate to start upfront in a team packed with talented individuals who do not always sing from the same sheet.

Possible Lineup: Ochoa; Juarez, Osorio, Marquez, Salcido; G. dos Santos, Castro, Torrado, Guardado; Franco, Hernandez.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Africa

Bafana will be looking to Katlego Mphela in the absence of Benni McCarthy in terms of a goalscorer and someone to rely on up front. The talented Sundowns attacker is playing well at the moment, and recently boasted that losing five kilograms during the training camps has made him faster. He will need to use that speed against El Tri.

Mexico

Manchester United-bound striker Javier Hernandez is one of the jewels in the Mexican crown, adding pace and skill to an already aggressive attacking team. He is likely to be the lone striker up front against South Africa, and the Bafana defenders will need to watch him carefully to make sure he does not get the better of them.

PREDICTION

It is a game that will rely heavily on home support in the 89,000 seater Soccer City Stadium, which will be transformed into a Bafana cauldron for the match. The Mexicans are the better team, but South Africa has improved steadily and are very fit. The home advantage will weigh heavily, and perhaps the hosts can pull off a surprise in front of their fans with a 2-1 win.

South Africa 2-1 Mexico